Faroe Petroleum faces hostile takeover bid by Norway's DNO
Staff Writer |
DNO, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, announced the terms of an offer to be made by DNO ASA for the whole of the issued and to be issued share capital of Faroe Petroleum plc (other than the 105,247,866 Faroe Shares already held by DNO, representing 28.22 percent of Faroe's issued share capital).
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The Offer will be 152 pence in cash for each Faroe Share, valuing Faroe's existing issued and to be issued share capital at approximately £607.9 million.
Of the Offer value of approximately £443.8 million on a fully diluted basis, £402.6 million is attributable to the current issued share capital of Faroe (other than those Faroe Shares already held by DNO and the Faroe Employment Benefit Trust) and the balance £41.2 million is attributable to DNO's understanding of the number of outstanding share options and awards granted by Faroe to its directors, management and employees, representing approximately 7 percent dilution of Faroe's current issued share capital.
The Offer Price represents a premium of 44.8 percent to Faroe's share price of 105 pence at the close of business on 3 April 2018, the last business day before DNO announced its first acquisition of shares in Faroe and a premium of 20.8 percent to Faroe's share price of 125.8 pence at the close of business on 23 November 2018, the last business day before this announcement.
Commenting on the Offer, Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani, Executive Chairman of DNO, said: "We are pleased now to engage directly with the Faroe shareholders with a proposed all-cash voluntary offer of 152 pence per share which represents a premium of 44.8 percent to the closing price of 105 pence on the day before DNO announced its first acquisition of Faroe shares last April, and a premium of 20.8 percent to the closing price of 125.8 pence last Friday.
"In the period between our first acquisition, triggering significant bid speculation, and this offer, the price of Brent crude has dropped 13 percent and oil and equity markets have entered a period of great uncertainty.
For those shareholders who wish to exit, DNO is therefore offering a considerable premium." ■
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